Oct. 2, 19(18.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S. TV. 



805 



mills which cut the curd too small. The pieces of curd should be, after 

 passing through the mill, ahout h an inch in diameter. When the curd 

 is cut too fine, too much moisture is drained from the cuid when the 

 salt is added, and the texture of the cheese is completely spoiled. After 

 milling, the curd should be tni-ned over gently at intervals of about 

 three minutes, and should not be allowed to mat. This is called aerating 

 the curd, the object being to allow any gas which may have accumulated 

 to escape, and should be continued until the curd assumes a soft, silky, 

 velvety feeling. The flavour of the curd can be very much improved at 

 this stage by aerating longer, and the curd will develop that peculiar nutty 

 flavour so characteristic in a good cheese. The salt should now be 

 added, the amount is generally from 2^ to 3|- lb. \wv 1,000 lb. of milk. 

 Of course, the (juantity varies according to the thickness of the milk. Where 



Fig. 7.— A Good Style of Cheese-press. 



the milk is poor, the percentage of curd is less, necessitating the use of less 

 salt. When the milk is rich, the percentage of curd is greater, thus requiring 

 more salt. It is therefore necessary to adopt a sliding scale during the 

 season. Starting in the spring of the year, when the milk is poor in butter- 

 fat, with 2| lb. of salt, and gradually increasing the quantity as the season 

 advances and the milk becomes licher. Of course there are occasions when a 

 little extra salt will be an advantage. For instance, when the curd is soft 

 and moist a little extra salt will assist in draining away a good deal of the 

 extra moisture ; or if the flavour is not good, a little extra salt vvill assist in 

 retarding the effects of the bad flavour as the cheese ripens. The salt should 

 be sprinkled over the curd and mixed thoroughly. Then three or four 

 minutes should elapse, to allow the salt to dissolv^e, before putting to press. 

 It will be found that the temperature will have fallen considerably from the 

 time of wheying off until the jjeriod of salting. From 78° to 82° Fahr. is 



